Ashington AFC

v

Heaton Stannington

Tue 30 Oct 2018 | League Cup | Home

Stadium

Woodhorn Lane

Attendance

128

Referee

Mark Ryan

Kick-Off

19:30

Ashington again fell foul of lower league opposition on Tuesday night as Northern League Division 2 side Heaton Stannington sent them crashing out of the Brooks Mileson Memorial League Cup.

Steve Bowey made two changes from the side that drew 1-1 at Whitley Bay the following Saturday, with Edwards and Norris coming in for Armstrong and McAndrew. The game stated in a low key manner, which would set the scene for the next 90 minutes, with both sides feeling each other out and chances at a premium. The first real effort on goal came on 9 minutes when Ashington player-manager Steve Bowey turned sharply on the edge of the box to fire in a low drive on goal. The visiting keeper, Daniel Regan, did well to get down to the effort but could only parry it out. Zak Atkinson was quickest to react but Regan was quickly back on his feet and managed to push the Ashington forward wide before he could get an effort off on goal.

The visitors’ first opportunity came by way of a mix up in the Ashington defence. This allowed Jonathan Fox to break into the box where his cross shot/shot from a tight angle on the right was somehow cleared over the bar by a mix of Conor Grant and Glenn Caygill. The resultant corner was claimed by Grant in the Ashington goal. This encouraged the visitors and their next attack forced another corner. A wicked inswinging cross from the right was headed clear by Ashington captain David Edwards from under his own crossbar.

On the half hour the home side were forced into a change when Chris Youldon went off with an injured back to be replaced by Gerard Richardson and the sub almost had an immediate impact when his smart 1-2 with Atkinson sent the Ashington forward clear down the right wing. His cross into the box saw several attackers rushing into the box to meet it but Regan dived full length to punch the ball clear from danger.

The game was starting to heat up and Heaton Stannington were unlucky not to take the lead when Fox struck a goalbound effort from the edge of the box but Grant did well to adjust his body and clear the effort with his right foot. Ashington then broke from the clearance and Sam Norris outpaced the full back before pulling the ball back to Matty Wade who saw Regan make a stunning save to keep out his strike from 8 yards out. From the corner Ashington should have taken the lead when a deep cross found Richardson at the back post but his header went just the wrong side of the post and scores remained level at the break.

The second half had barely begun when there was a lengthy delay when Heaton Stannington centre half Daniel Bennett went down in his own box with a head injury and was eventually replaced with what looked like a concussion. The delay seemed to kill the momentum of the game and it took a while for either side to create anything of note. On 58 minutes the home side were denied what looked like a definite penalty. Lewis King broke into the visitors’ box where he looked to be body checked by Michael Hall but with the home crowd calling out for a spot kick referee Mark Ryan waved aside the appeals. This was to haunt Ashington further when two minutes later the visitors took the lead when Lewis Burns latched on to an intended back pass from Jay Hornsby and calmly took the ball around Grant to shoot into the empty net.

This seemed to knock the stuffing out of the Colliers who struggled to get any rhythm back into their play. On 73 minutes a mishit corner from Bowey was recovered by Hornsby who swung a pinpoint cross into the box where Richardson rose highest to power a header goalwards but Regan managed to get a hand to it to push the ball over. This was to prove to be Ashington’s last real effort of note and the final whistle blew with the second division side progressing into the next round sending the crowd of 128 home disappointed.